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Designing the perfect wedding invitations is way easier when your aunt’s in the business—just ask Elena Delle Donne. The WNBA star’s aunt Janet Jornlin just so happens to have her own gorgeous paper goods and gift boutique, Whimsy, in Greenville, Delaware. So asking Jornlin to create The Knot Dream Wedding invitations and save-the-dates was an obvious decision for Elena and and her fiancée, Amanda Clifton.
With the invites finally in the mail and less than two months to go before the main event, we got the inside scoop from Jornlin—aka Aunt Jan—about Elena and Amanda’s elegant invitation suite—from initial inspiration to details the couple couldn’t leave out, right down to the finished product.
Did Amanda and Elena come straight to you to do the invitations?
“Elena and Amanda were so sweet and said they [wanted only] me to do the invitations and save-the-dates. The save-the-dates were the first piece of the wedding stationery, and it was so special to be a part of their planning and excitement from the start.”
Were they very specific with their vision, or did they let you take the reins?
“The couple was so cute—they basically wanted me to pick the invitation. The one thing they were adamant about was that their dogs had to be in the save-the-date photo with them. I loved the picture, because anyone who knows Elena and Amanda understands how much Wrigley and Rasta mean to them.”
What do the invitations look like, and what was the inspiration behind the design?
“Elena and Amanda loved the first invitation I showed them. It’s a bold, stunning slate gray stock with gold engraved lettering by Vera Wang. At the top of the invitation, Elena and Amanda’s initials are intertwined to represent their union. We’re also having the invitation envelopes hand-addressed by Katy Akerman of Lewes Lettering Co., whose work is some of the best.”
Is the invitation design a sneak preview of the overall wedding style and colors?
“The save-the-dates show Elena and Amanda’s [playful] side, while the wedding invitation is a preview of a fabulous event to come. The fonts are very dramatic and definitely reflect the elegance of the Hempstead House (where the couple is saying “I do”).”
Love the sound of their elegant wedding stationery? Find your perfect invitation suite here.
Learn more about Amanda and Elena’s wedding planning journey at TheKnot.com/dream-wedding.
